Quality Manager II

Summary:


Our client, a well-regarded food and beverage manufacturer, is hiring a Quality Manager II to lead the plant's Quality function. Reporting to the Plant Manager, you will own product and packaging quality, food safety, regulatory compliance, and quality-related costs, while keeping the site's Quality and Food Safety Management Systems (SQF, HACCP, GMP, FDA, and customer requirements) strong and continually improving. You will lead the Quality team, oversee laboratory and sanitation operations, and drive improvement projects across the plant.

Responsibilities:


- Lead the Quality Department to deliver on KPIs, quality targets, and continuous improvement goals.


- Serve as the site SQF Practitioner and manage the SQF system, Food Safety Fundamentals, HACCP programs, and Food Safety and Quality Plans.


- Keep the facility compliant with GFSI, FDA, CFIA, customer, corporate, OSHA, and environmental requirements, along with GMP and PPE policies.


- Verify that raw materials, packaging, in-process product, and finished goods meet specifications and manufacturing standards.


- Oversee daily quality inspections, laboratory and microbiological testing, water treatment, syrup blending, and sanitation.


- Manage laboratory resources, analytical equipment, and quality data to support timely, accurate decisions.


- Run internal audits and put best practices in place across the site.


- Write and maintain Quality SOPs, work instructions, and controlled documents, and keep all food safety and quality records secure and easy to access.


- Own non-conformances from root cause analysis through corrective and preventive action, closing items on time.


- Make sure employees are trained on food safety and quality requirements.


- Manage Quality Department spending, including labor, waste, and fixed and variable costs, with a clear view of how plant financials and production volume affect results.


- Prepare capital requests and carry approved Quality projects through to completion.


- Lead plant projects such as waste reduction, validations, new product launches, and process improvements.


- Hire, onboard, coach, evaluate, and develop Quality team members.


- Build a culture of quality, food safety, accountability, and engagement, and support strategies for accident reduction, energy savings, and waste minimization.


- Investigate quality, safety, and regulatory issues and put effective corrective actions in place.

Qualifications:


- Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Quality, Manufacturing, or a related field.


- At least 5 years of direct Quality management experience in a manufacturing setting; food and beverage experience strongly preferred.


- SQF Practitioner certification preferred.


- Solid knowledge of quality management systems, HACCP, food safety and food defense, GMP, GFSI, FDA, and related regulations.


- Proven record leading Quality teams and driving continuous improvement.


- Strong leadership, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with sound judgment under pressure.


- Ability to use statistical methods to analyze quality data and spot trends.


- Excellent written and verbal communication, organization, and attention to detail.


- Proficiency with Excel, Word, PowerPoint, SAP, and laboratory data systems; comfortable working in metric units.

Working Conditions:


- Schedule may vary with production needs, including weekdays, weekends, evenings, and overnight shifts, with overtime as required.


- Fast-paced plant environment with moving equipment and a range of temperatures; hearing protection and other PPE required in production areas. The laboratory is temperature controlled.


- Time spent sitting, standing, and walking; requires sustained concentration and accuracy under deadlines.


- Travel is rare and limited to occasional business needs.

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